


Together we stand

by SinfulLuca



Category: Octopath Traveler (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-05 15:57:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17328062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SinfulLuca/pseuds/SinfulLuca
Summary: Collection of loosely interconnected ficlets





	1. More than we thought

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While waiting for Tressa’s party to return from Morlock’s Manse, Cyrus, Primrose and Olberic find they have more in common than they thought.
> 
> Set after Cyrus’ chapter 2.
> 
> Basically, they being LGBT+ buddies. Implied Erhard/Olberic.

The fire crackles, it’s light illuminating the somber faces of the travelers.

Ophilia had fallen asleep long ago, the horrors hiding in the sewer more tiresome than any of them could have expected.

“Poor lass.” Cyrus says, profound sadness filling his face. “No person should be witness too such horrors, much less someone so young.”

“It would be better to not dwell in this more than necessary, professor. We have already stopped the perpetrator and done what we could.” Olberic smiles, but it doesn’t help to calm the unease that Cyrus feels.

The silence comes back, this time more oppressive than ever, not even the sounds of nature enough to break the bubble.

No one knows how much time passes.

Primrose looks around, the somber atmosphere too oppressive for her likes. She thinks of the day before, of the boisterous town of Quarrycrest and it’s habitants, finally remembering something important.

Primrose smiles. It’s more honest than any of the others they had seen her wear, so full of mischief. 

“Professor.” She says, surprising both of her companions.

Cyrus looks up, confused. “Yes?”

“We have yet to discuss something really important.” Cyrus rises a brow, confused. The smile in Primrose face bringing to him a feeling of unease. “Your friend… Odette, was it? she mentioned something really curious.” A shiver runs through him, oh no, it couldn’t be… “So… trouble with the ladies, eh?”

Cyrus covered his face with his hands. He sights. Oh, Aelfric, why? “I have never understood it. Odette always tells of those times I broke the heart of a lady, but I can’t recall any of them.”

Primrose can’t help but let a smile scape her. Looking to the side, she notices she’s not the only one, even Olberic having troubles hiding his laughter.

Distressed, Cyrus sights. “You too?”

“It sounds to me as if… you weren’t interested in woman.” Primrose says, her smile becoming mischievous, the air of amusement stopping around them, leaving Cyrus and Olberic both confused.

Cyrus straightens his back. “Eh…I… I have never give it much thought. My only focus up until this point has been on teaching…”

“So, no women, eh? what about... men?” She says.

Cyrus raises his head again, with nothing but curiosity in his eyes.

Olberic’s breath stops.

“Would I prefer a male companion? That’s… an interesting question.”

“Is something wrong with it?” Primrose looks straight at him, but Cyrus could see her eyes dart towards Olberic, the warrior looking at her with an intensity Cyrus had seen from the man since they meet.

“... No, no, i-is not that, just that…” Cyrus frowns. “...Is a curious question you ask. I… Humans are a social especies, we live from companionship, yet... I have never wished for… a wife… children. I have never felt the call of nature to spread my lineage, cultivating young minds being more than enough for me. Some had told me that maybe is because I haven’t been able to find the right one… could it be that I have not been looking in the right place?”

“P-professor… are you implying that… “ Olberic’s face pales.

“That _What_? Something… unnatural?” Primrose coldly responds, pure venom coming from her mouth.

Olberic rises his head. His face full of something Cyrus can’t identify.

“What’s wrong with loving someone? To let people be happy?” She frowns, looking Olberic in the eyes with the fury of a thousand sandstorms.

Olberic shakes his head, terror appearing in his face.

“Answer me.” Cyrus raises his arms, the seeds of panic starting to bloom as shadows gather around Primrose. He cannot let something-

“Is not like that!” Olberic shouts, frowning. Primrose looks surprised for a second. “You think _I_ would-” But Olberic stops, biting his tongue before more could come out.

Cyrus looks rapidly between his companions, he can’t tell if that in Primrose face is thoughtfulness or confusion.

“Are you saying that…” She finally says after a while, breathless.

Olberic answers with only an almost bashful expression.

“Oh…” A distressed expression appearing in her face. “I’m really sorry. Is just that-”

“I understand. No hard feelings. Is… hard sometimes.”

Cyrus looks confused at both of his companions. “Did… did I miss something?”

Both of them let out an amused sight, as if sharing a joke that he had not been privy to.

“Consistency is good, professor.” Primrose says, a smile in her face, this makes Olberic snort.

Cyrus frowns at them. Olberic clears his throat as Primrose looks between both of her companions. It feels like a long time before she straightens her back.

Primrose finally sits, looks at Cyrus in the eyes, and takes a deep breath. “In truth… I have never liked men.” She states, it startles them. “Every day, every night, dancing for disgusting men.”

Cyrus’ eyes go wide in surprise, he opens his mouth, but no words come from it. A saddened expresion appearing in Olberic’s face.

She lets out an almost amused humf of air, looking at her companions with a kind of fondness.

“... I’m sorry.” Cyrus says after a while.

Primrose looks up, confusion flashing for a moment in her eyes. "Eh... I'm used to it."

Cyrus face falls. 

"Still, to do such things for so long..." Olberic says.

Primrose smiles, is a sad one, but Cyrus can see how it reaches her eyes. "When I started... it was... it was terrible. But I soon learnt to deal with... certain type of men. Not everyone was terrible, mind you, even in the Sunlands there are nice men... maybe even some nice ladies."

Cyrus smiles at her, is a little crooked, but it shows how he was trying, even when he still showed discomfort with the subject matter. "But that's now in the past. There's only forwards now."

The little humor left in Cyrus face finally leaves, as Primrose reminds him of her true quest. They had barely talked about that, about each of their quests. It was easy to deal with Ophelia's travel for the kindling, with Alfys' and Tressa's aimless travel, but Primrose's? It was harder to accept.

"I would have expected to first get that look for my secret, not from my revenge."

"Is not my place to comment. I do not know what is to lose a parent in such a violent way, to lose everything I had... I have no right to judge you, even if I'm not happy with the idea."

Primrose is surprised yet again, it brings a smile to her face, a true one this time. "Every single time you surprise me more, professor."

"Thanks?"

Olberic takes a sight. “I imagine it is my turn, then.”

Cyrus looks confused at him. Primrose just smiles with her usual mischief.

“I… I was afraid, for the longest time. It was easy for a while, when I noticed how being a knight stopped people for asking about the family. But…” Olberic takes a deep breath, the weight of years of pain still a heavy slate on his heart. “There’s… there’s nothing to lose anymore… No Homburg… No king.. no…”

“No Erhart.” Primrose says, looking at Olberic with understanding.

Fury appears on Olberic’s face by the only mention of the name. “No Erhart…”

Is quiet yet again, but is a different quiet; a silence of understanding of two people that had lives such different life and yet… understood each other.

Cyrus felt wrong by sharing this moment with them, taking it away from them. He shouldn’t be here.

“Why the long face, professor?” Primrose asks, a small frown in her face.

Cyrus almost jumps in surprise. “I’m sorry, I didn’t want to be an intruder…”

“What are you saying, professor?” Olberic says, truly confused.

“I thought you had never wished for a wife, for children.” Primrose says, serious.

Cyrus looks down. “But…”

“The right one is going to appear one day? Are we really that different?”

Cyrus looks up and sees Primrose, her hand extended towards him, a small smile on her face.

He smiles back and takes it.

“... Maybe not.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This whole series has been stuck in my drafts titled as Octogay Traveler for _months_ , but I really wanted THIS to be the first chapter.


	2. Meetings

Ophilia shouts in panic as she sees a man lying on the floor. Oh, no was she too late? Was he dead?!

It turns out the man - Cyrus - was just awfully out of shape.

* * *

It takes 5 minutes for Alfyn to note that yes, he was not dreaming. He truly was seeing a man traveling in the back of a giant white cat.

He later find out that H’aanit’s… friend, had apprehended Therion the thief after he stole a map from her.

She proposes to travel together, seeing as her and Alfyn’s goal was around the same area. Alfyn eyes the monster cat for a moment, but the wish to not travel through half of Orsterra alone won over.

By the time they reach Sunshade, H’aanit feels Alfyn is more friend of Linde than hers.

* * *

Therion was sure he had lost his touch.

First the Mansion, then the huntress and now this dancer. Maybe stealing from woman taller than him was the problem.

“Then you’re too tiny to steal from people at all!” Tressa says.

“Shut up.”

“Is not my fault you’re so small!” 

“Can you please stop?” Olberic adds as he and Cyrus try to start the lamp.

“Maybe you could us a fireball to start it?” Alfyn asks.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea...”

“Are they always this… humorous?” Primrose asks H’aanit.

“Sadly…” Tired of waiting, Therion uses Wildfire to turn the lamp on. The thing goes flying into the air, to finally end falling into the eternal abyss. “Yes.


	3. Jewel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One that Therion holds dear.

Is as if the world had stopped.

The sound of nature completely lost to his ears as the melodious voice of Cyrus flows through him. 

His eyes shine like jewels as he explains each detail. Each flower, each ruin, each item Tressa comes across.

Therion hated it. Hated how Cyrus would always speak without prompting. How he would do it for hours and hours and hours. How sad his smile became when Therion said to shut it.

Hated, hated it so much. How his heart wouldn’t stop beating when Cyrus smiled bright and beautiful in those rare times Therion would listen to him.

Moments than turn more common with each new city.

Therion listens. About cities and countries. About forgotten wars and flowers lost a long time ago. 

He listens about nothing and everything.

Primrose sends him a knowing look from the other side of the room. Therion just frowns, his hands wishing for his dagger.

“Is something wrong?” Cyrus asks Therion, curiosity filling his features.

“Nothing, just Primrose.”

Cyrus smiles, holding a laugh. “Are you sure? I could stop.”

“No. Keep going if you want.”

So he does.

And Therion is sure to hold every nugget of knowledge he’s gifted with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't really like this ship but Therion crushing hard? Yes please


	4. Precious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set after Tressa chapter 3.
> 
> Oh, yes, he now knew what was his most precious treasure.

Is the dead of the night and nothing could be heard, the sailors long ago gone to sleep.

Leon opened his drawner and from it took a piece of parchment.

He knew it very well, even when he had received it less than a week ago. Every fold, every missing piece, every quirk of the letters that so long ago were written by someone that barely knew how to write.

_Did you ever find what’s most precious to you?_

Oh, yes, old friend, he did. But it was too late.

A tear falls into the aged letter as Leon’s hands shake.

He would never see this treasure again. 

He could have the ship, he could have the sea, he could see Tressa smile.

But there was no map in the world that could bring Baltazar back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just couldn't help myself *eyes*

**Author's Note:**

> I still have a bunch of incompleted indeas in my drafts, so I might add more in the future...  
> or not, knowing me.


End file.
